1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protective cover for a battery connection terminal, and to an assembly of such a protective cover and terminal. The present invention is particularly applicable in the connection of an electrical wire to a battery post of a battery, e.g. a lead-acid battery, in a vehicle or boat, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a connection terminal connected with a battery post is covered with a protective cover to prevent it from being shorted to a vehicle body. A cover of this kind is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,516. In this construction, for holding the protective cover in its closed state, lugs on the inner surface of the cover lock into slots on a base member.
However, in such a construction, the lugs are liable to be broken or chipped, because they rub on the base member every time that opening and closing of the cover is repeated. As a result, there is a possibility that the cover becomes unable to be closed. Further, when the lug is formed on the protective cover, a xe2x80x9csink markxe2x80x9d may be formed on the exterior surface thereof during molding.
A construction may be conceived in which, instead of the lug, an elastic locking piece is used to elastically lock the protective cover. However, in this case it is necessary to form a slit on a side wall of the protective cover. Thus, this construction does not provide a good appearance.
The present invention seeks to remove or reduce the above-described disadvantages. Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a protective cover for a battery terminal which has a good appearance and has a reliable locking state.
According to the invention there is provided a protective cover for a battery connection terminal, including a body member adapted to receive and enclose an electrical wire connection part of the battery connection terminal, and a cover member having a top wall and opposite side walls and adapted to cover upper and side portions of a clamping part of the battery connection terminal when the clamping part is clamped onto a terminal post of a battery. For locking of the cover member to the body member, the cover member has at its interior at least one elastically deformable locking member having a free end spaced from and displaceable relative to an adjacent side wall of the cover member by its elastic deformation. The body member has a locking formation adapted to make locking connection with the locking member, thereby to hold the cover member in position covering the clamping part of the battery connection terminal.
In the invention, when the cover member is closed, the locking formation locks the locking member thereto and elastically holds the cover member in position, with the cover member covering the clamping portion of the terminal. Because the cover member is locked to the body member by utilizing the elasticity of the locking member, the locking construction is less likely to be damaged, unlike the known locking construction in which a non-elastic or low elasticity lug is used. Thus, the locking construction provides a reliable locking performance for a long time. Further, because the locking member is disposed inside the cover member and is not exposed to the outside, the appearance of the protective cover is good.
In one embodiment, the locking member has two mutually perpendicular edge portions spaced from its free end and is connected to an adjacent side wall and a top wall of the cover member at the two mutually perpendicular edge portions. To achieve such a connection of the locking member, the side wall may have a joggle or step formation, connecting a wider part and a narrower part of the cover member. Alternatively, the locking member may be in a form of a cantilever arm having a second end remote from the free end and connected to the top wall of the cover member at the second end.
When the cover member and the body member are connected hingedly to each other, the protective cover can be handled easily.
Preferably, in the locked-together position of the cover member and the body member, the body member and cover member are restrained from relative movement in all of the upward, downward, forward and rearward directions, as well as in the two lateral directions. Accordingly, in the case where the body member and cover member are hinged, even if the hinge is cut or broken, the cover member is not lost from the body member, and its use can continue.
The invention also provides the assembly of the protective cover and the battery connection terminal.